Instant Pot Chicken Breast

Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breast from fresh or frozen. 25 minutes from start to finish, simple ingredients and no saute. Cooking chicken breast in the Instant Pot is an essential recipe that is perfect for beginners and novices alike. Use in a variety of meals and recipes that call for cooked chicken.

This pressure cooker chicken breast is my go-to on a busy weeknight or weekend (who am I kidding?!). Often it becomes shredded chicken making it perfect for salad, tacos and stir fries. Just like Instant Pot whole chicken this is any mom’s best friend.

Why This Instant Pot Chicken Breast Works?

This Instant Pot chicken breast recipe is easy, simple and forgiving. Don’t you always have a pack of chicken breasts in your freezer?! Now you can make chicken breast in Instant Pot from fresh or frozen in 30 minutes.

I just love Instant Pot! It makes the best Instant Pot rice and beans with no soaking, lasagna with no need for a springform pan, the most tender Instant Pot beef stew with no need to saute, easy Instant Pot steamed vegetables and even cobbler!

If you are new to pressure cooking, check out my Instant Pot guide. It explains what happens, why and how to avoid failures and how to clean your Instant Pot after cooking in it. Another great place to start learning how to cook the basics in your new appliance, is my best of Instant Pot beginner recipes. If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet but are thinking about buying one, I explain which Instant Pot to buy in my humble opinion and how it is different than a slow cooker.

Also if you are not a blessed electric pressure cooker owner just yet, check out my baked chicken breast recipe or air fryer chicken breast. Same easy and simple. Also this honey garlic chicken would be good pan fried – in case you don’t have an oven.

Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Chicken Breast

You really need only chicken breasts and water. Everything else is up to your taste and what meal idea you are planning to use with your cooked Instant Pot chicken breast recipe.

If you are adding cooked chicken breast to salads, quesadillas and tostadas, I would not worry about seasonings much.

If you are planning to eat cooked chicken breast alongside quinoa or brown rice and salad (meal prep style), I would pay attention to spices.

• Chicken breasts – You can use fresh or frozen.
• Salt and pepper – Simple seasonings so your chicken is a ‘blank slate’ for recipes.
• Garlic powder – If you wish, but not required.
• Dried herbs – If you like, really it will depend on how you plan to use the chicken once it is ready.

How to Cook Fresh Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

• Add 1 cup water and place trivet on top.
• Lay chicken breasts in a single layer, sprinkle with spices and rub onto each other.
• Press Pressure Cook on High or Manual for 10 minutes – under 2″ thickness and 15 minutes – over 2″ thick breasts.
• Do Natural Release for 5 minutes and then turn pressure valve to Venting.

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How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

Cook frozen chicken breasts just like fresh but:

• For 15 minutes.
• Make sure each breast is separated.

If you add a blob of frozen chicken breasts, you will end up with raw meat inside and overcooked chicken outside.

When you bring fresh chicken from the store, line each breast with small piece of parchment paper before adding to a bag and freezing. Thaw for 5 minutes or run under cold water for easy parchment paper removal.

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Tips for Instant Pot Chicken Success

What Size of Instant Pot Can I Use?

Any – 3 quart, 5 quart, 6 quart or 8 quart.

Same recipe. Same cooking time. Same water amount.

Just make sure chicken breasts fit in a single layer. If your Instant Pot is small and you want to cook large amount of breasts, do so in a few batches. Piling up chicken in a few layers will result in undercooked chicken.

Also note that larger pressure cooker (like mine – 8 quart) take longer to come to pressure – about 8-10 minutes.

Do I Have to Saute Breasts Before Cooking?

I just had to comment. Many recipes online ask you to saute chicken breast before pressure cooking in an effort “to lock in most of juices”. I can assure you I have cooked chicken breast in Instant Pot over 20 times and it comes out juicy if you follow my recipe.

Can I Cook Breasts with Bones?

Yes. Even with skin on, if you wish. Same amount of time.

Does Size of Breast Matter?

6 oz or 10 oz – doesn’t matter. 10 minutes or 15 minutes of pressure cooking is enough time to cook standard American supermarket chicken breasts.

Can I Cook Just One Breast?

Yes, you can. You can cook as many instapot chicken breasts as you need or as little as long as they fit into a single layer. Same cooking time.

Serving Recommendations for Cooked Chicken Breast

There are so many ways to answer the question on what to do with cooked chicken breast! Here are a few ways to turn your Instant Pot chicken breast recipe into a meal:

• Shredded: Shred meat with 2 forks, refrigerate and use to make chicken salad or white chicken chili. Or skip sauteing and use instead of ground turkey to make pasta bake.
• Diced: Cube to add protein to vegetarian pasta dish, easy spaghetti recipe or even vegetable soup or borscht. Why not?!
• Low carb meal: Make one of healthy zucchini recipes and enjoy quick dinner entire family will love.
• Meal prep: Refrigerate whole or cubed and use throughout the week for lunches – sub out your sandwich deli meat for chicken or use in Cobb salad.
• Freeze for later. When ready to eat, thaw on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.

Alternately, browse 65 chicken recipes perfect for putting your Instant Pot chicken to good use and top healthy sides for ideas on what to pair with your dinner!

FAQs

Making This Recipe in Advance

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge or on a counter.

More Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes

Did you know we have entire Youtube channel dedicated to healthy Instant Pot recipes and tips? My goal is to help you become confident with your Instant Pot by demonstrating each delicious foolproof recipe in step-by-step videos.

Make sure to subscribe and hit the Bell icon not to miss new videos.

• Instant Pot chicken and rice that we make every month!
• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes everyone will love, trust me!
• Instant Pot white chicken chili is creamy and made healthier.
• Instant Pot frozen chicken – rotisserie style whole chicken.
• 10 healthy freezer meals you can cook from frozen in your pressure cooker.
• And check out over 45 other Instant Pot recipes.